Hershey ushered in the 2013-14 season Tuesday by starting training camp with a new-look coaching staff and players.

The Hershey Bears dropped the curtain on the AHL season Tuesday, shuttling back and forth between Hersheypark Arena and Giant Center to christen 2013-14's training camp. The 11-time Calder Cup champions conducted split squad practices: skating at the "Old Barn" followed by off-ice conditioning at the latter.

New head coach Mike Haviland directed his first practice, analyzing a revamped roster of 32 players looking to make a first impression. As many as 40 prospects and veterans are projected to participate in the Bears' week-long grind comprised of three practices and three games.

"There's going to be a lot of competition here," said Haviland. "There's a lot of real good players and some more coming. It's going to be some tough decisions in a couple days."

Haviland, named the club's 24th coach in June, was joined on ice by freshly-minted assistant Ryan Mougenel and several coaches in the Washington Capitals organization.

"I liked it. I liked the pace. They were very attentive," said Haviland. "We went over some systems and obviously some guys have the advantage from being in Washington, but the new guys came in and grasped everything pretty quick. It was a good day."

Time and numbers are working against many of the players. The Bears will need to make double-digit cuts to trim the roster before opening the regular season Saturday, Oct. 5, at home against Adirondack.

Advertisement

"It usually plays itself out when the games come and in practices. As we go along, we'll see who rises to the top," said Haviland.

Hershey's first preseason game is Friday at 7 p.m. at Giant Center against Utica. They host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday at 7 p.m. before traveling to the Mohegan Sun Arena for Sunday's finale against the Baby Penguins.

"I'm watching every time they step on the ice and off the ice and how they conduct themselves," said Haviland. "They're being evaluated. There's only three days of practice and three games. So if you're going to wait till Saturday, you might not have Sunday. It's not a threat; it's just being honest with them."

The Bears bowed out of the playoffs in the first round for a third straight spring last season. Hershey registered its lowest winning percentage (.533) since 2004-05.

"Our aspirations are to win. That's all it comes down to," said veteran center Jeff Taffe. "Everybody that signed here this summer has to talk to Doug (Yingst, team president). If he doesn't hear you say you say, "I want to be a winner,' I don't think he's signing you."

Taffe led the team in scoring last year with 71 points (18 goals, 53 assists). The 32-year-old from Minnesota was one of just 12 returning players to take the ice Tuesday.

"There's no excuse here anymore. I think it got a little lax," said Taffe. "You don't want look back and say, 'We won this many Calder Cups,' and be happy with it. I think it got to a point last year in the playoffs where you really had to take a step back and say, 'Hey, were not as good as we used to be and things have to change.'"

"I feel bad because there's going to be a lot of guys that have been around here or on other teams that are going to be fighting for spots," Taffe said. "And I'm probably going to be fighting for playing time and ice time just as well as everyone else.

"You can't take anything for granted right now. (Haviland's) installed that right away and people are going to be held accountable this year."

"I feel kind of bad for (Haviland) right now, he's got a lot of decisions to make," added Taffe. "I wouldn't want to be in charge of having to (make cuts) right now - a lot of guys are going to be unhappy. But I think that's a great problem to have for our team."

Haviland and Taffe both see the big picture.

"Depth is the biggest thing right now in the National Hockey League in any organization. You got to build depth from within," said Haviland. "Look at the teams that have won the Stanley Cup the last couple years - Boston, Chicago. They'll get rid of guys and replace them with young kids. You have to build from within.

"It's the way of the day in the age of the NHL with the cap. You get your core guys and stay with your core guys; but you're young guys got to be the ones coming up. You're not going to get a lot of guys from free agency. It's just not going happen anymore."